Combines Crary air reel on series 500 flex

T__langan

Guest
We looked into a Crary air reel for our 800 flex last summer. The reel is basicly the same as a regular finger reel with tubes sticking out from center that angle back at the cutterbar from which the air blows. For a 15' we were quoted $6800 and dealer didn't want our stock reel. The air blower drives off the right side header drive from the combine I believe. We were having trouble getting short small grains to feed - piling up behind cutterbar. We decided to get an older rigid head instead. We are planning to go to 20' heads in the future otherwise we may have gotten the Crary. Hate to spend that kind of $$ for just a few years use. Tom l.
 

Dan

Guest
John, My opinion on Crary air reel on any header hasn't changed since my post last winter under header topics. They do take a little power but not noticable because feed to combine is so much better. They do kick up some dust and require some more upkeep but well worth it. All you need to do is cut air volume back and you can easily see how much the air is helping. In the condition that you do not need the air assist you can hang driveshaft off to the side or at least you can with the newer machines where the pump for reel drive is part of the combine. One thing I thought would be well worth doing is remove all the fingers on every other bat and reinstall halfway between where they were so a much better sweep would be made over cutter bar every stroke of two bats. I like Rolfs' idea of the smaller reel but maybe would be trouble when you got back into tall beans. We order our flex heads less reel and order up a Crary for it. Good luck in whatever you deside. Dan
 
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